Today's exciting trip news (reproduced with permission) from the Coast-2-Coast USA team - a bunch of brave dads/uncles/brothers/friends of children from the UK, cycling across the southern continental United States from Oceanside, California to St. Augustine, Florida to raise donations for the Children's Hospital for Wales and the Noah's Ark Appeal . The guys arrived in Saint Augustine, Florida - THEY DID IT!

Previous days entries here:- March 19th , 22nd , 23rd , 24th , 25th , 26th , 27th , 28th Interview with Americymru member and Coast2Coast rider Gareth Evans:- here . Listen to Coast-2-Coast USA's Richard Belcher on Radio Glamorgan with Peter Cox!

Rich's #13

Day 14 and we awoke today to torrential rain; so much for Florida being the Sunshine State.

By rights it should have been me and Gar up first, but Phil and Andy were ready to go so we took our place in the van. We'd not long overtaken the two cyclists when sat at some traffic lights, Porth knocked the window to tell us that Phil had phoned to say Andy had come off the bike.

The car turned back and we waited for news for what seemed like an eternity. We had it confirmed that he was dazed and being taken to hospital to be checked out and so drove back to the spot.

As we pulled up behind the ambulance there was a railway track going diagonally across the road and Andy's bike had gone from under him as he went across. I almost slipped over just walking on the rail so it's not hard to see how this happened.

Thankfully Andy is alright, no bones broken but certainly sore and if ever you needed an argument for the use of helmets when riding a bike today is a great example. A good chunk of the polystyrene has snapped off and without it things would have been far more serious. As they also would had Phil not quickly jumped off his bike and run back to stop the traffic while Andy was in the road.

As we sat in the hospital while Andy underwent tests the initial fear and anxiety as to his condition subsided to be replaced by guilt. It should have been me on the road, and also for all the people for this to happen to Andy is the least deserving (although he'd be too modest to say so).

Without him the trip simply would not have happened. He booked the flights, accommodation, vehicles, planned the route etc not to mention the enormous effort he made in organising events, gigs, sponsors and the like to finance the whole thing.

He has been and is the driving force behind team C2C and I hope he is able to play some part tomorrow. I know it's easy to say but I'd swap places tomorrow in an instant (I'd rather not have the pain to go with it though).

Andy - the whole team is very proud of you and thankful for what you've done to make this happen.

Immediately after the accident the rain got worse and was a full blooded thunderstorm by the time we got to the hospital. We sat in the waiting area watching the weather channel which showed a line of thunderstorms sweeping across the pan handle of Florida. The TV advised people not to drive and warned of flash floods and potential tornadoes, so further cycling once Andy was discharged seemed unlikely.

So we drove towards our destination for the evening; Live Oak. Conditions did improve though and around 25 miles from Live Oak we decided to give it a go.

Phil, Gar, Ian and I set off together. Within a few miles Phil had punctured and got in the van. Then while I was in the front I saw a large dog run out of a house towards us. Although there was a fence it looked like there was a large gap. In fact there was a recessed gate and so it couldn't get to us, but I had already instinctively applied the brakes. Ian didn't, at least not as quickly as me and he clipped my back wheel. I stayed upright, but Ian fell. He only had a bit of road rash on his hip and a cut to his knee and was quickly laughing about it.

His brand new bike though sustained a bit of damage to the brake levers. So now I was left feeling even more guilty as if I hadn't been such a wimp this wouldn't have happened, especially as the dog turned out to be lovely.

By then we decided that the cycling gods were well and truly against us so called it a day. As we did the heavy rains returned with a vengeance so in all probability we wouldn't have got much more in anyhow.

The weather forecast is brighter tomorrow, let's hope the cycling is too.

Rich's #14

We've done it!

It's been a fabulous experience and we've finally reached the East coast of America.

There have been frustrations, mainly caused by the weather and it's meant parts of the route we've had to sit out and travel in the car.

Does this mean we've failed? Hell no! If our days had been stages in the Tour de France then even before we got off our bikes the stage would have been reduced or cancelled. Would that have devalued the achievements of the melot jaune in winning the thing? Of course not, so we too have won.

Andy's injury is the biggest disappointment as it would have been fantastic for all of us to finish together, but each and every one of us can and should be proud of what we have achieved.

The day started in the bright sunshine we had expected of Florida, but got off to a bad start. When I had my little prang with Ian yesterday it bent my rear wheel (actually Ian's spare which was still on my bike from an earlier puncture). As I went to change it back to my own I noticed some damage to my seat stays (the rear triangular bit that the back wheel attached to). Basically it's knackered.

So I became a Dolan Sister and borrowed Andy's bike for the day.

The roads were pretty good and we made very good time until about 8 miles from the finish when Phil, Henry, Ian, Gareth and I all completed the tide together.

Handshakes all round at the end and telephone calls home to say we'd finished, before adjourning to our accommodation and indulging in a few beers.

Big thanks from me to the whole team who've all worked so well to make this such a memorable experience. Without your driving, fetching, carrying, cooking and support this would not have been possible and love and thanks also to Jen and the boys for putting up with me spending so much time on the bike in preparation. I can't wait to see you all on Tuesday.

As Vinnie might say "it's been emotional".

Gar's #14

Live Oaks - St. Augustine,Florida (The Final Furlong)

The penultimate day of the trip has undoubtedly tarnished the whole experience. With andy coming off his bike early in the day, and the events that followed, and then even when it did clear, phillipousis and the stone both coming to a halt, it seemed everything was against us. The stroms continued, torrential rain, and even when we got to Live Oaks, we were treated to the (what seemed to be) 'standard' tornado warning we had come to expect from the South East. There's only one thing you can do to make yourself feel a little better in a time tlike this... An all you can eat chinki.

Things could only get better, and the fact we awoke to the final day to fantastic sunshine only seemed to rub salt into yesterdays wounds. A re-jig to the stating off's, due mainly to radio commitments, and away to go, stoney and myself hiting first. Easy roads, great conditions, no dogs to contend with, all was good. The next leg was a tough one, after about 300yards, The phone rings. 10minutes later and after a converstion with Jonesi, and it's time to get on the bang to catch up with the Stoney was has continued to spin onwards.

The final two legs, is back to normal, rich and myslef make good distance in time as were met by the other cyclists for the final stint. Although gutted following the day before, this is probably when realisation of the trip begins to kick in, helped a little by the St. Augustine city limits sign.

There seems to be more of a procession feel as we enter the beachside resort than a feeling if celebration, as we literally crawl to the coast. Finally we get there, and dyffers and chatsy miss their que and make us go around again.

We've reached the Atlantic, the fuss about ariving at the local fort means that there's no beach here, and apparently it's too damn dangerous to jump in at this point, but frankly, I dont think anybody would have jumped right in even if it was accessible. Team photo time, but there's one guy missin. Doesn't feel right.

A quiet drink was all that got sunk last night, but the music scene was enough to keep you glued to your pub stool, regardless of how shagged you felt. It's now 8am, and the sun has woken me sliding through the broken blinds in our hostel room, and although it hasn't ended as it should, the feeling of achievement has started to creep in.

It has been an amazing experience. The weather has helped and hindered us as we've dealt with extremes on both sides of the scale, there were two days when the mileage wasn't what it should had been, not through our tiredness, but there's nothing we can do with regards to snow and tornados.

The group on the trip have been great, everybody bringing their own to the mix. Although the sights have been superb, and we have seen a fair bit in two weeks, it's the people that have made this trip. The welcomes we've received along our journey have only intensified the experience. The welcomes at Taos, Houston, Mobile and now St. Augustine. The people we've met who have encouraged and supported us along the jouney, from the various retautants, diners and motels en route, and the messgaes from back home.

Now that it's over though, I can't bloody wait to go home and see my ladies. 3 weeks away from home is a damn long time, and at least up til now, we've been slightly occupied by things to do, place to get too. One last job before we do leave, gifts...I don't think a route66 fridge magnet would suffice.

Tomorrow, it's off to Orlando, our last port of call, drop of the vehicles and away to gatwick. What odds on the flight being delayed- wouldn't be suprised.

So that's it, job done. Big thanks to everyone who has sent messages to all the guys along the way, and to all our families for the support over the last 2years, the experience has been well worth it.

Finally, thanks goes to everyone who said it couldn't be done, some who are close mates, some who aren't. There's no doubt that fear of failure and proving all you buggers wrong was a massive motivation in doing this, especially to the Irishman in the old O'neills, Cardiff City Centre, Wales vs Ireland 2007- the 'pinky and porky outside the window with wings' comment...get stuffed!

Would I do something like this again? most definitely, would it be as enjoyable...who knows, but wherever it's done and with whoever else, it would need to be one hell of a trip to compare the country we've seen, the people we've met and the welcomes we've had. Bloody fantastic.